Planet Granite

A star for the staff — we are usually met with a nice greeting and they are helpful when I have a question. Only one girl who seems fairly new seems constantly annoyed and never smiles.
A second star for the climbing — challenging routes and interesting climbs. It’s a small gym so you have to keep that in mind, but they do a good job with the resources they have.
A star for the sauna — not something everyone is looking for, but I’m happy it’s there, especially with the cold weather.
Minus a star for the showers. They have people that come in to tidy up, but I don’t think anyone ever comes in to do a deep clean.
I was going to take off a second star for the lack of better gym equipment upstairs. There are quite a few machines, weights, etc., but only a few great ones. Hopefully they can afford some better ones soon.

I’ve been a member for about a year now. I have a few observations.
The Good:
— excellent fitness classes including crossfit, yoga, cycling, core with flexible schedules
— excellent weight lifting amenities (endless barbells, weights, squat racks etc)
— best top route /​lead climbing gym in the Bay Area bar none
— formidable bouldering problems
— excellent instructors for climbing and fitness
— great, helpful environment and community for new climbers
— many members only perks and social events
— walk-​ins allowed on a member guest pass or paid day pass
— free climbing lessons for friends if you are a member
The Not So Good:
— peak hours are incredibly busy; there are waits for every climb
— sometimes they run out of lockers during busy times
— parking is horrible; there is no better way to put it; way too many cars and way too small of a lot during peak times
— may be a bit of a wait for lifting equipment during busy hours
Overall, my experience here has been incredibly positive. I’ve made lots of friends, learned to be a better climber, and have increased my overall fitness and quality of life. At first, I thought the membership fee was a bit steep compared to somewhere like 24 Hour Fitness or City Sport, but PG really has a much more community feel and the caliber of instruction here is just so much better.

I did enjoy the rock climbing. They have you take a intro class first. Watch a 15min video, then in person you get shown how to climb and secure your harnest by one of the workers. Next visit you come in and want to climb, they will test you to see if you will get a red certified slip or a temporary slip (if you fail). Beware of the busy after work hours and weekends. Then you would have to wait for a section you are interested in climbing. This place tends to smell like feet. A lot of ppl walk around w/​o shoes on. There is also a gym upstairs that has treadmills, bikes, weights, and some machines. Not too bad. I would like to thank Travis for allowing me to keep using my five day pass even after it had expired (I’m busy and didn’t check to see it had an experiation date from date of purchase, my bad).

Had my daughter’s 10^th birthday party here. Girls had a great time, there are areas to climb for someone who is just a beginner to one with more advanced skills. 4 to 1 kid to instructor ratio was good (their maximum is 6 to 1). Everyone, from people at the front desk to instructors were super nice and accommodating. Special thank you to Jesse who handled the arrangements and was there on hand to answer all questions and make sure that everyone was having a great time.
If you’re thinking of a birthday party or to just come a climb I would highly recommend this place.

I don’t know much about rock climbing but I do know that this place makes me want to start doing it every single day. I think they also have a gym there for people who are interested but I’d definitely recommend Planet granite for a fun time rock climbing

I can’t not like PG, but I have to not like it because it’s so far from me — I’m in East Bay — and it’s so damn expensive. I don’t have a membership because their gyms are so far and so expensive. But, I take every chance I can to come here and climb. Belmont is not my favorite just because it’s so cramped at this gym. There are two small bouldering rooms with plenty of problems, but the area for people to exist in these rooms are miniscule. Always chill staff at PG, but if you are in Belmont and need a solid place to climb, come to PG. I haven’t done much top roping at this PG, but it should be just as fun.

Wish Planet Granite was closer so it could be my go to gym. Front desk personnel were friendly helpful educated and hard working. There were about 4 people people behind the counter and each person busy either with supplies, check ins, training new customers on climbing or checking on people putting on climbing shoes. Our party of four wanted to go bouldering. We climbed for a good 3.5 hours and had a blast. This gym has regular workout equipment upstairs, a yoga studio, 2 bouldering rooms and a central area dedicated to belaying. It can get quite crowded because this gym is smaller than most of the other Planet granite locations. Highly recommend this experience.

I love this gym for multiple reasons!
1) close to work… It allows me to dodge traffic.
2) I usually have no trouble finding parking
3) Love the Tuesday Yoga taught by Josie Zhou
4) Top ropes comes in multiple level and accommodates climbers of all levels
5) Fitness center is large enough that it doesn’t feel over crowded
6) Class times actually fits my schedule
7) Bathrooms and changing areas are clean
8) Staffs are nice and helpful
Only wish they had more of a discount. Kinda pricey for membership and even more expensive for drop ins.

Been here for about 9 months,
I could spend all my afternoons just climbing and hanging out, actually that’s what I do.
Taken about 10 different friends for free belay classes (perks of being a member)
Free guest pass every two months, it use to be every month (like 4 years ago). Bummer.
GreAt staff, seems like they vary in experience (which is nice for me because I’m a newb)

This has become my home gym. And it wasn’t an easy thing, given that my previous home gym was 5 min drive away, and this one is 20 min away.
I happened to come in for the first time the night the BRC (beginners rock climbing) class was starting, bought it on a whim and kept coming back ever since. It’s a class that meets 4 times, and by the end of it I was feeling very comfortable doing whatever I wanted.
Jesse and Cheyenne, the guys that taught the class, were super awesome. Some of the participants needed more help than others, and they would do whatever it takes to be helpful. Others needed a challenge, so Jesse and Cheyenne came up with the (fun) drills and harder climbs. They answered all of the questions we had, and Cheyenne even spent extra 15 minutes after the class (it ends at 9PM!!) belaying and cheering me up while I was finishing a tricky route.
I live between their Sunnyvale and Belmont locations, which sort of gives me the freedom to choose between them every time I go climbing. And, even though there are more space and more routes in Sunnyvale, I prefer the Belmont location, as the staff here is so much more friendly and helpful and I truly appreciate it. They will teach you, advise you, challenge you and help you every time you need it. I also tend to bring all of my friends that want to try climbing here instead of other locations even if those are closer.
I read other reviews trying to understand what’s not good about the bathrooms, and still have no idea. They’re clean and working (at least, the women’s ones), what else do you need?
As for the gym part, the machines are very simple, but there are some fun additions, like the rings and the boards. I also heard people raving about TRX classes but haven’t tried them myself yet. Everything is organized nicely, and you can create a good workout using what they have.
But if you are already here, you might just as well go climbing, right?

I have been a member at Planet Granite for just over a year now, and can say that it has been a very painless experience. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating. Lending long time customers a pair of shoes if they forgot them, versus charging them is always a very class act. I have encountered this once or twice at Planet Granite, and it is always very refreshing. It does not feel like they are after your money, what so ever.
The facilities are always super clean, and if you are upstairs lifting weights, never very cramped. Machines, barbells and cardio machines are always available.
If climbing is your thing, there are plenty of routes with varying levels of difficulty. They have many top rope climbs, as well as two different bouldering rooms. The climbs are updated every month or two, as are the bouldering problems. There are even some super crazy climbs that are set by the gyms signature masochist «Mike A.»
In addition to the above they do offer yoga and classes, but I personally do not have any experience with them.
The bathrooms are clean and well kept up, although the mens bathroom smells horrible and has since joining.

Stand-​out: Best vibes of all the PG’s
Stand-​down: Stuck on dubstep :/​… sometimes I like a chillax climbing day
Try: Climbs set by Mike A (smiley face guy) and don’t be ashamed when you can’t figure out his 11a’s. They’re special.
Haterade (bathroom reviewers): No, the bathrooms aren’t incredible. But would you rather them spend money on new holds /​pay their rad people good wages… or a dyson hand-​dryer?
Qualifications: Home gym

Got a membership to planet granite and really like the belmont location, mostly for convenience!
It doesn’t offer as much climbing walls as the sunnyvale location, but it is adequate! They offer yoga classes and other work out classes as well so it just isn’t focued on «rock climbing».
The front desk is polite and helpful as well.
Parking is a bit of a confusing thing– but you can park on the road and you can use the parking spaces the next street past planet granite for free parking!
It is definitely worth the cost monthly if you are an avid climber. I wish they changed the rocks more often because that would be more challenging and if you see a rock path with a smiley face theyre a little bit harder than the other ones :)
Great place. it has a sauna too which is nice.

In terms of top roping this place is great! They have walls of varying heights and routes of varying difficulty.
The staff is quite friendly and helpful and they offer belay lessons for those that need it. For the belay lessons plan ahead because they get filled up fast.
They have two bouldering sections, the grading for both are definitely not as soft as the gym I’m used to climbing at. The walls are also shorter than I’m used to but the routes are still fun. Not sure how often they reset but it’s nice to have the option to Boulder.
The gym itself is surprisingly very well developed. They offer a much of weight machines, rowing machines, rings, cardio machines, free weights, yoga room and even squat racks. If I didn’t work at a gym I would highly consider making this my go to gym.
They have a couple groupon deals and student discounts as well but are strict about who qualifies as a student. Drop in price is $ 20 which is a lot more than I’m used to but also pretty typical for a climbing gym.
Beware, parking can be hard to find!

This location is nice for ROCK CLIMBING and not so much of bouldering. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard that the Sunnyvale location is bigger than Belmont one and that is definitely true. As I come just for the bouldering, I came at the wrong time this week. It so happens they had a competition so one of the side walls remodeled to accommodate and thus, it wasn’t back to the normal V0 and on. They only had one side of the wall. In addition, I came at like their peak hour so it was really crowded with people.
Overall, there’s plenty of rock climbing space and a nice gym upstairs, too. There’s nothing wrong with this place, but as someone who just boulders, I’m more used to going to places with the entire place set up for bouldering.

I came here with reservations at 2pm to take the class so I could climb those walls. I think its a requirement if you are to start and once you complete the class, you have a temporary pass that you would bring next time where they quiz you to see if you remember. If you pass, you get a permanent pass and never have to take the class again. Also, you get a special deal at the end where it is 5 passes for $ 55 that is only redeemable that day you take the class. Classes are usually $ 20 a person so if you are into it, then you should buy it unless you get membership.
The class was very thorough and lasted for over half an hour. I can imagine that it would take longer if the class was bigger but since it was only three, it was ok. I kept messing up on tying those friggin knots and I felt like I was in college again cramming right before the exam when I had to show my knots, phrases, and security checks. Dat pressure. I just wanted to climb already but the safety is important. Once you go over the actions for the climber and the belayer, then off you go to explore.
It was fairly empty around 2pm but it got pretty popping closer to 3−4pm. There were classes or tours for little children so it became a zoo. So many yuppies do rock climbing and I can only imagine what the Sunnyvale and SF locations are like. You can see there are so many legit people with their chalk and shoes and it is quite intimidating but oh well. It is all about the experience and reaching the top. The routes are marked depending on difficulty. I think the easiest is 5.6 that you practice on and the hardest I saw was 5.13. The most I did was 5.9 haha. I cant help that I am short with no reach or upper body strength. Prepare yourself because your arms will hurt during and definitely the next day as I type this. You see people climbing up like spider monkeys but just take your time and if you fall, you hopefully have your partner to catch you. When you go back down, you just gotta let go and trust. It’s definitely hard to let go but Frozen it up. I didnt push against the wall as I went down but I would do that or else you derp and twirl around. There are also shorter walls where you dont have a harness and a complete gym upstairs. If you are into climbing like these hardcore people, I guess this is the best option since it has your walls and a really nice gym.
Go with at least one person but you wont be able to race them because one has to hold you. It is fun to go with a group of four maybe because you can cheer each other on. You dont need to bring sneakers since they provide it with your pass I think. I got the one with the class and it included everything so I think the $ 20 for a regular day would include equipment. Wear workout clothes like tights and a shirt since people may see up your shorts haha. The people here are really dedicated to the sport so I wouldnt worry about that actually. You will sweat as you climb and trying to reach for those things. Girls, dont forget that hair tie because it could potentially get stuck in the ropes or what not. This would totally be fun with friends and I might just do it for funsies even though I get tired so easily. I stayed for about two hours and probably only did 4 tracks haha. Good enough for me!

Last night was the first time I’ve climbed at the PG in Belmont (pretty regular at both the Sunnyvale & SF gyms). While the gym is a lot smaller than the other two, I was sufficiently impressed with the number and varied difficulty of the routes they’ve been able to fit in the space.
Not only was there a good mix of routes, but there are possibly more lead routes here than the other gyms (so much of the top rope space is available to lead) which is really awesome. I need to get a new rope so I can check out some of those routes!
The only down side to this gym is the parking situation — no parking lot, street parking only. But given it’s in Belmont there wasn’t an issue finding a street spot so not sure if this is a big deal.
I’ll be back, many more routes to explore!

Ah, PG, how I love thee (although a little less now that I lift more and climb less).
It’s pricey and an older facility, but then again, it IS a specialized gym for a sport that you can’t do ‘just anywhere’, with passionate staff.
Membership to one PG grants you access to any of their family of gyms (San Francisco Presidio, Sunnyvale, Portland, and Belmont). Their hours are extremely broad, meaning you’ll be sure to find a time during your work week to drop by.
They offer belay lessons to all newcomers (as you must be certified before you can top rope), which are pretty helpful. Every Wednesday (unless it’s a holiday) or so, they put up new routes on a certain section of the wall, so you’re always going to run into something new.
They also offer yoga lessons, and upstairs is a decently equipped (albeit dusty) gym.
My biggest complaint is how little love the lifting area upstairs is given. The equipment is limited in number and is shoved into a small room, making it difficult for more than a few people to use the weights at once. There’s only one bench press and one squat rack, so wait times can be high. The manager had said that he was going to bring in new equipment, but that was some time ago, doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen.
It can get quite crowded on weekends, but it’s at least a great community of people.

Great great way to work out your body and challenge yourself. I went here since two of my fiends were members and they wanted me to try it. The place is clean and you can tell who the regulars are. The staff is very driest and ensure you know all re safety precautions.
If ya your first time rock climbing, you’ll take a mandatory hour training with thee folks and learn about climbing, tying knots, and releasing rope for the climber. Staff do not take this lightly.
The walls have different levels and it takes a certain technique to do rock climbing. It’s best to be with someone who’s is experience so that you gain all you can in your one day session.
They have bells at the top of the walls and people stuck their name badges up there for bragging rights. Loved it!

«He’s climbing the rope, and he’s gaining.» — The Princess Bride (1987)
What a great rock-​climbing gym. Nice and spacious, plenty of staffers around to help out, and the facility is clean and well-​organized.
I’ve been here a few times to bring my niece for her classes/​camp. Her camp had 5 or 6 girls in it and they each got to climb at their own level with the counselor/​instructor. Here is my only complaint: this guy was not really engaged. When the girls were climbing, he was texting on his cell phone (with who, I have no idea) and had a hard time managing 6 Tweens. My guess is he was early 20’s and maybe didn’t sign up for this. He never dropped anyone (he was belaying for them all), but he was also easily irritated. Surprising he wasn’t more attentive considering I was standing right there as a parent. My niece also said she disliked when this kid was her teacher. Update: she quit going to camp.
Now, let’s talk positives. My niece also had her birthday party at this location. Now, this they handled beautifully. We had a couple of even younger (seemingly) young ladies help out with belaying, plus we brought our own certified helper (thanks Helen F.) so more kids could climb at a time. PG was cool with it, so the kids went to town.
We didn’t have the place to ourselves by any means, but seriously it certainly felt like we had the run of the joint. We had no real limitations. The kids had a blast and the adults got to climb some too. I think this is a great place to have a kids a party — the kids are active and they handle it well.
I will say that we went around the corner to a pizza joint for dinner and dessert, just as an FYI.